Iran's absence from the second international conference on peace settlement in Syria, which is due to be held January 22 in Switzerland, will deprive its participants of an important factor of support, much needed for settling the conflict.

Many now have first-hand experience of the apparatus of state repression, and describe details of underground cells, beatings and torture. It is common knowledge that Iranian security advisers are on hand with their sinister expertise in communications monitoring and riot policing. Damascus feels, and looks, like Tehran in 2009 during protests over the rigging of the presidential election.